St Leonards South Masterplan and Planning Proposal

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Latest News 2019

St Leonards and Crows Nest – Draft Planning Package

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment released the draft plans and supporting documents for the St Leonards Planned Precinct – entitled 'St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036' along with Draft Rezoning Plans for the Proposed Crows Nest Metro site (in North Sydney).

The consultation ran from October 2018 to 8 February 2019 and all material is available on NSW Department of Planning and Environment website - St Leonards and Crows Nest – Draft Planning Package. The Plan recommended that Council's Planning Proposal for St Leonards South be referred to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) for advice and further consultation – this was done in November 2018.

The IPC are holding a public meeting at 9:00am on the 20 May 2019 at the Crows Nest Centre (Johnson Hall), Level 2, 2 Ernest Place Crows Nest. For more details including how to register to speak please go to the Independent Planning Commissions website.

Council made a presentation ​to the IPC on Thursday 23 May 2019 at the request of th Commision.

Background

Council resolved to undertake a master planning process for the precinct in St Leonards bounded by the Pacific Highway to the north, the railway line to the east, River Road to the south and Greenwich Road to the west. Council officers developed a Brief for the St Leonards Strategy, to be undertaken in two parts:

Stage 1 Precinct Report; and

Stage 2 Growth Scenarios Report.

Stage 1 (2012 – 2014)

Consultants David Lock and Associates (DLA) were engaged to complete Stage 1 of the St Leonards Strategy. The Precinct Report includes:-

Consideration of the current State, metropolitan and local strategic planning context;

A summary of existing conditions such as land use, demographic profile, urban structure and built form, public domain and natural features, vehicular and pedestrian access and movement, and physical infrastructure;

A summary of the community consultation undertaken as part of Stage 1; and

An analysis of issues and opportunities for the precinct, including that the area "is well located for potential urban consolidation opportunities".

In response to technical and community feedback received through a series of community sessions and workshops, a Draft Master Plan and supporting documents were prepared by urban planning consultants and endorsed by Council on 8 December 2014 for public exhibition.

The Draft Plan discussed potential changes to the zoning and scale of areas in the precinct as well as the provision of community facilities, open space and other matters. It also discussed:-

Density Potential

Financial Viability

Sustainable Urban Design & Amenity

Infrastructure

Staging and Transition Management

These plans were publicly exhibited from December 2014 to May 2015 and Council held numerous information days, workshops, and drop-in sessions.

Details of Stage 2 (including Master Plan, community presentations and Council reports) are available on Council's website in the 'Have Your Say' section entitled St Leonards South Draft Master Plan.

Stage 3 (2015 – now)

On 13 July 2015 Council resolved to adopt the Draft St Leonards South Master Plan with the addition of the area up to Park Road east side, subject to the B3 Commercial Core zone west of Canberra Avenue remaining as currently zoned (see map below).

The next phase of the planning process identified the exact location of public parks, community facilities, east-west links and roads– all to promote a liveable residential precinct. This involved translating the Master Plan into:

a draft Development Control Plan (setbacks; open space; transitions; parking; etc);

a draft Development Contributions Plan (which will include a suitable provision for Key Worker Housing;); and

a draft Landscape Master Plan (to be incorporated into the DCP).

A Progress Report was presented to the 15 February 2016 Council meeting updating the status of the Draft LEP amendments and other documents.

Draft LEP Amendment No.25.

The Draft LEP amendments were submitted to NSW Department of Planning and Environment in February and May 2016. The Draft LEP amendments (Planning Proposal) was granted a conditional Gateway Determination in September 2016. Community Information Sessions were held in November 2016 to provide this update to owners and residents in the St Leonards South area – this was reported to the November 2016 Council meeting along with the presentation.

A Planning Proposal which seeks to amend LEP 2009 to implement new site-specific planning controls (including zoning, building heights, floor space ratios, lot sizes and land reservation acquisition) which will control development in the St Leonards South Precinct. Ministerial delegation has not been issued to Council for this proposal.

A Draft Development Control Plan that details development controls for the precinct.

A Draft Landscape Master Plan that details designs for public and private domain areas and the overall streetscape.

A Draft Section 94 Contributions Plan that provides a means for funding local infrastructure required as a result of the new development.

Community Drop In Sessions were held throughout November and December 2017. Both these sessions involved the display of information panels outlining the scheme and staff were on hand to answer any questions.

At its meeting held on the 19 March 2018, Council resolved to write to Minister Anthony Roberts MP to request:-

An extension of time for Council to complete the St Leonards South Planning Proposal to allow for the public release and consideration of the St Leonards / Crows Nest Planned Precinct Draft Land Use Infrastructure and Implementation Plan; and

Confirmation that if the Planning Proposal proceeds and given the recent rezonings in St Leonards east of the railway line, these rezonings satisfy Council's housing supply targets to 2026.

This was to allow the community and Councillors to understand and consider the Government's plans for the Precinct, particularly in relation to the provision of infrastructure, prior to further considering the Planning Proposal. Once this was released, two (2) additional community consultation sessions were to be organised to outline the plan to the community. A 12 month extension was subsequently granted.

Greater Sydney Commission

Council also sought clarity and a commitment that if the St Leonards South Planning Proposal proceeds and given the recent rezonings in St Leonards east of the railway line, these rezonings will satisfy Council's housing supply targets to 2026. Council has received correspondence from the Greater Sydney Commission which acknowledges, in two key sentences:-

"Based on Council's estimates of capacity created via planning strategies currently being considered and Council's 2009 LEP, the LGA has the potential to exceed a 6-10 year (2021-2026 target)......."

"In this regard we recognise that the additional capacity you are creating now through your local planning will be counted towards your achievement of a 10 year target."

Based on the letter and discussions with the Greater Sydney Commission, to bring this into effect Council can develop a 10 year Housing Strategy (as all councils are required to do once the target is known), based on the St Leonards East and South precincts only.